The new Knights of Columbus-Marist poll found that nearly 8 in 10 Americans, or 78 percent, say they are “frustrated” by the current tone of political campaigns. Adding to the negative attitude, almost 74 percent believe that over the last few election years, the rhetoric of campaigns has “gotten more negative,” pointing to a feeling that the problem of negative campaigns is worsening.

“The American people want and deserve civility and a conversation on the issues rather than the personal vilification of political opponents,” Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said in a release. “As this current data makes all too clear, the American people want a political discussion that is civil and respectful. As Americans, we understand that we may not agree on every aspect of every issue, but we also understand that how we disagree says a great deal about who we are as a nation.”

The poll delved deeper into the public’s feelings of frustration, revealing a perception of ingrained civility that detracts from the true nature of elections.

Sixty-six percent of Americans perceive candidates as spending more time criticizing opponents rather than discussing the issues, and 64 percent say those negative campaign ads “harm the political process” either “a great deal” or “a significant amount.”

And by a margin of 56 to 37 percent, Americans polled categorized the tone of political campaigns as “mostly uncivil and disrespectful,” a number that grows to 59 percent among registered voters.

The poll was conducted July 9-11 as a telephone survey of 1,010 adults, and has a margin of error within +/- 3.0 percentage points.